Information processing apparatus, information managing method and program

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a first output data generation unit that generates first output data, which is independent of a type of an output device; a second output data generation unit that generates second output data, which depends on the type of the output device, from the first output data, and makes the output device perform output process for the second output data; an output unit that, after being notified by the first output data generation unit that the first output data is generated, transmits the first output data to the second output generation unit; an information generation unit that generates information on a status of outputting by the output device based on the first output data; and an information transmission unit that transmits the information on the status of outputting by the output device to a collection device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a first output data generation unit that generates first output data, which is independent of a type of an output device;   a second output data generation unit that generates second output data, which depends on the type of the output device, from the first output data, and makes the output device perform an output process for the second output data;   an output unit that, after being notified by the first output data generation unit that the first output data is generated, transmits the first output data to the second output generation unit;   an information generation unit that generates information on a status of outputting by the output device based on the first output data; and   an information transmission unit that transmits the information on the status of outputting by the output device to a collection device, which collects the information on the status of outputting.   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus, as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an outputting destination management unit that determines whether an output destination of the first output data is the output device or not, wherein   the information generation unit generates the information on the status of outputting by the output device when the output destination of the first output data is the output device, and does not generate the information on the status of outputting by the output device when the output destination of the first output data is an output file.   
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus, as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein when the output destination of the first output data is the output file, the output unit transmits the first output data to the second output data generation unit, which outputs the output file based on the first output data. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus, as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an output permission determination unit that determines whether an output by a user, who required the output device to output, is permitted or not, wherein   the output unit, after the output by the user is determined to be permitted, transmits the first output data to the second output data generation unit.   
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus, as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a usage restriction determination unit that determines whether an output by a user, who required the output device to output, is restricted or not, wherein   the output unit, after the output by the user is determined not to be restricted, transmits the first output data to the second output data generation unit.   
     
     
         6 . An information managing method comprising:
 Notifying an output unit that a first output data, which is independent of a type of an output device, is generated by a first output data generation unit;   after the output unit is notified that the first output data is generated, transmitting the first output data to a second output data generation unit, which generates a second output data, which depends on the type of the output device, from the first output data and makes the output device perform an output process for the second output data;   generating information on a status of outputting by the output device based on the first output data; and   transmitting the information on the status of outputting by the output device to a collection device, which collects the information on the status of outputting.   
     
     
         7 . The information managing method, as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining whether an output destination of the first output data is the output device or not, wherein   the information on the status of outputting by the output device is generated when the output destination of the first output data is the output device, and the information on the status of outputting by the output device is not generated when the output destination of the first output data is an output file.   
     
     
         8 . The information managing method, as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein when the output destination of the first output data is the output file, the first output data is transmitted to the second output generation unit, which outputs the output file based on the first output data. 
     
     
         9 . The information managing method, as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining whether an output by a user, who required the output device to output, is permitted or not, wherein   after the output by the user is determined to be permitted, the first output data is transmitted to the second output data generation unit.   
     
     
         10 . The information managing method, as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining whether an output by a user, who required the output device to output, is restricted or not, wherein   after the output by the user is determined not to be restricted, the first output data is transmitted to the second output data generation unit.   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a process of managing information, the process comprising:
 a step of notifying an output unit that a first output data, which is independent of a type of an output device, is generated by a first output data generation unit;   a step of transmitting, after the output unit is notified that the first output data is generated, the first output data to a second output data generation unit, which generates a second output data, which depends on the type of the output device, from the first output data and makes the output device perform an output process for the second output data;   a step of generating information on a status of outputting by the output device based on the first output data; and   a step of transmitting the information on the status of outputting by the output device to a collection device, which collects the information on the status of outputting.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a step of determining whether an output destination of the first output data is the output device or not, wherein   the information on the status of outputting by the output device is generated when the output destination of the first output data is the output device, and the information on the status of outputting by the output device is not generated when the output destination of the first output data is an output file.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein when the output destination of the first output data is the output file, the first output data is transmitted to the second output generation unit, which outputs from the first output data to the output file. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a step of determining whether an output by a user, who required the output device to output, is permitted or not, wherein   after the output by the user is determined to be permitted, the first output data is transmitted to the second output data generation unit.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a step of determining whether an output by a user, who required the output device to output, is restricted or not, wherein   after the output by the user is determined not to be restricted, the first output data is transmitted to the second output data generation unit.